BET Founder Bob Johnson Buys Trucking Company

Former BET chairman and CEO Robert L. Johnson announced today that his company has purchased R. Thompson Trucking, Inc.

The company was acquired from Linx Capital Partners by Johnson’s RLJ Companies and RLJ Equity Partners, LLC. The company will now be known as RLJ Thompson Trucking.

Johnson announced the acquisition Monday morning.

“RLJ Thompson Trucking is the leading transportation company in the Mid-Atlantic,” said Johnson. “We are pleased to partner with a company that has earned a reputation as one of the safest and most reliable carriers in the region. Thompson is a trusted brand and we are delighted and look forward to working with Richard L. Thompson, the president and CEO, to further expand the company’s presence throughout the country. My goal is to make RLJ Thompson the largest minority owned transportation company in the country.”

Rufus H. Rivers, managing partner of RLJ Equity Partners, LLC confirmed the deal and said that the R. Thompson team would be a part of the company’s future.

“We are excited to partner with Rick Thompson and the senior management team of Thompson Trucking, and we look forward to expanding the Company’s geographic footprint throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states,” said Rivers. “Under Rick’s leadership, the Company has proven its ability to grow both organically and through acquisitions, and we look forward to continuing this impressive growth trend.”

RLJ Thompson Trucking is a regional trucking company serving a diverse group of industrial and municipal customers, including aggregates companies, industrial recyclers and waste collection and disposal companies primarily in Virginia and northern North Carolina. With a fleet composed of more than 150 tractors, 100 dump trucks and 500 trailers, RLJ Thompson hauls a wide range of commodities including aggregates, scrap metal, non-hazardous waste, salt and snow for its customer base.

“We are delighted to join with RLJ Equity Partners and we are confident that we will continue to thrive and expand our national presence in the industry with RLJ’s management and expertise,” said Rick Thompson, president and CEO of RLJ Thompson Trucking. “I am incredibly proud of the company’s solid reputation and our diverse customer base and I strongly believe our partnership with RLJ is a catalyst for significant growth and future success within the industry.”

Western Reserve Partners LLC served as the exclusive financial advisor to R. Thompson Trucking, Inc., in its sale to RLJ Equity Partners, LLC. The transaction closed on December 31, 2012.